Sports memorabilia display device

ABSTRACT

A lightweight, vertically mountable, transparent sports memorabilia display device comprised of a horizontal and a vertical panel is provided. An item of sports memorabilia rests in an aperture situated in the horizontally-oriented panel. The vertically-oriented panel is mounted to a wall using unsubstantial mounting means such as adhesive tape or has a small aperture used to mount the display device with insubstantial mounting means such as a pushpin. Optionally, the horizontal panel has a concave depression instead of an aperture to keep the item of sports memorabilia at rest on the horizontal panel.

CROSS REFERENCES

None.

GOVERNMENTAL RIGHTS

None.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a device for displaying items of sportsmemorabilia, namely baseballs, softballs, and hockey pucks. Many personscollect sports memorabilia, which includes such items as baseballs,softballs, golf balls, hockey pucks, and the like that have sentimentalor economic value. Typically, persons who collect sports memorabiliaelect to prominently display the memorabilia for the viewing pleasure ofthemselves and others.

Children are among those who enjoy collecting sports memorabilia.Children constitute the segment of society with the highest activeparticipation in sporting activities, yet few of the devices in theprior art are suited to use by children due to heavy weight, highexpense, and complexity of design.

The prior art contains widely varying instances of sports memorabiliadisplay devices; the inventions of the prior art contain nearlyuniversal references to the use of transparent materials to protect thememorabilia. Another common feature of the prior art is the use ofapertures and/or concave structures upon which spherical or disk-shapedmemorabilia rests, which serves to stabilize the memorabilia fromrolling out of or off the display. Still another, albeit less common,feature of the prior art is the ability to mount the display case to awall.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,110 (the “'110 patent”) discloses abaseball display case that utilizes a base secured to a transparentdome. The base in the '110 patent has a concave structure in which thebottom of the baseball rests, and the transparent dome fits snugly overthe baseball to create a secure cavity in which the baseball fits. Thisinvention utilizes both the concave structure and a transparent materialfor displaying sports memorabilia, yet the primary function of thetransparent material is to encapsulate and protect the baseball. Afurther limitation of the '110 patent is the inability to mount thedisplay case to a wall.

U.S. Des. Pat. No. 346,520 (the “'520 patent”) discloses the ornamentaldesign of a ball holder that utilizes apertures at the rear of theholder to stabilize the ball. This design utilizes a transparentmaterial to cover and protect the ball and appears to be capable of wallmounting. The '520 patent requires substantial and complicated assemblyto add, remove, or replace sports balls placed inside of it and is heavyenough to require substantial wall mounting equipment.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,332 (the “'332 patent”) discloses a shelf-typedisplay assembly for displaying sports balls that utilizes either asmall concave cradle or circular aperture in the shelf that stabilizesthe sports balls. This invention utilizes a transparent cover for theshelf; however, the '332 patent suffers from the same deficiencies asthe '520 patent in that assembly of the device is complicated and theweight of the device requires substantial mounting means.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,375 (the “'375 patent”) discloses a device fordisplaying sports balls where the aperture/concave structure is behindthe portion of the ball being viewed rather than below such viewableportion. A transparent material between the ball and the viewer purportsto protect said balls. The '375 patent requires the transparent materialto be placed between the ball and the viewer to hold the ball in place.Additional deficiencies include weight and complexity of design.

As demonstrated by the above discussion, the prior art recognizes thatthere are three primary features to a sports memorabilia display case.These are (1) transparency of the holding material, (2) capacity forvertical mounting, and (3) the use of apertures and/or concavestructures for stability of the spherical or disk-shaped item. However,the prior art is deficient because none of the prior art discloses acombination of all three features except those that result in bulky,heavy apparatuses that require disassembly every time the sports fanwishes to change the item of sports memorabilia mounted in theapparatus. It is thus an object of the present invention to provide alightweight, economical sports memorabilia display device thatincorporates transparent materials, capacity for wall mounting, and anaperture or concave depression for stability of the item of sportsmemorabilia placed thereon.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a lightweightsports memorabilia display device capable of being vertically mountedwith minimal mounting means such as a pushpin.

An additional consequence of the designs in the prior art is that noneare readily amenable to use by children due to expense, complexity ofdesign, and/or weight. In contrast, an object of the present inventionis to provide a sports memorabilia display device that even children caneconomically and easily use and customize.

A further consequence of the designs in the prior art is the labor anddesign expense of manufacturing the varying and numerous componentsrequired to assemble the display cases of the prior art. Thus, it is afurther objection of the present invention to provide a sportsmemorabilia display device that is inexpensively manufactured using oneprimary material.

The apparatus in accordance with the present invention provides a sportsmemorabilia display device that is transparent, that contains anaperture or concave depression that stabilizes the item of sportsmemorabilia mounted in the display device, that is both lightweightenough to be mounted with minimal means such as a pushpin and alsocapable of being inexpensively manufactured.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The apparatus of the present invention utilizes a single piece oftransparent material to mount an item of sports memorabilia for visualdisplay. The use of a simple piece of material for the construction ofthe device results in a lightweight display device that, by utilizingleverage over a substantial amount of surface area, can be verticallymounted with very minimal fastening requirements such as a singlepushpin. The lightweight and easily mountable nature of the inventionrenders it especially suitable for use by children and young adults. Theselection of transparent material allows the item of sports memorabiliato be effectively viewed from all angles. The display deviceadditionally contains means for securing the item of sports memorabiliato the device. Optionally, the display device can be customized withtext, graphics, or the like.

These and other advantages will become apparent from the followingdetailed description which, when viewed in light of the accompanyingdrawings, disclose the embodiments of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of the sports memorabilia display device shownhaving an item of sports memorabilia mounted on the device.

FIG. 2 is also a front view of the sports memorabilia display deviceexcept the item of sports memorabilia has been removed to fully show theaperture that holds the item of sports memorabilia.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the sports memorabilia display device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, the inventor designed a sports memorabiliadisplay device 101 that is lightweight, vertically-mountable, and easilyused by a wide population demographic, including children. Displaydevice 101 has a substantially horizontal panel 103 and a substantiallyvertical panel 105. Horizontal panel 103 has a first aperture 113 forsecuring items of sports memorabilia. Display device 101 is secured to awall by vertical panel 105 using, in this preferred embodiment, only apushpin inserted through second aperture 109, although other means ofsecuring the display device to a vertical surface are contemplated suchas tape, nails, screws, non-staining compounds, and the like. Oncedisplay device 101 is mounted to a vertical wall surface, an item ofsports memorabilia 111 is placed on horizontal panel 103 and is securedby first aperture 113. The weight of the item of sports memorabilia 111creates leverage on the horizontal panel 103, which in turn minimizesthe downward force gravity acting upon the entire unit and addsstability to display case 101. Optionally, display device 101 may becustomized using text 115, graphics, or the like.

More specifically, several forces dictate how an object such as displaydevice 101 of the present invention can be mounted to a verticalsurface. One force acting on both item of sports memorabilia 111 anddisplay device 101 is gravity, which exerts a downward force. Thepresent invention is designed to counterbalance the traditionalgravitational pull using the concepts of leverage and friction such thatdisplay device 101 may be mounted with a nominal pushpin via secondaperture 109. By mounting display device 101 utilizing a pushpininserted through second aperture 109, a torque force is placed ondisplay device 101 in an amount proportional to the mass of displaydevice 101 and item of sports memorabilia 111. The torque force servesto redirect a portion of the force of gravity to a direction normal tothe gravitational force. The torque force is also proportional to thedistance of second aperture 109 from horizontal panel 103. The torqueforce that is placed on display device 101 is in the direction of thevertical wall surface, where the torque force increases the frictionbetween vertical panel 105 and the vertical wall surface, therebyreducing the force of gravity actually applied to the pushpin insertedthrough second aperture 109. The combination of the light weight ofdisplay device 101 and the length of both vertical panel 105 andhorizontal panel 103 generate sufficient leverage to otherwise supportthe full weight of an item of sports memorabilia using only a pushpininserted through second aperture 109.

Optionally, a concave depression 201 can be used in place of firstaperture 113 as the means of securing item of sports memorabilia 111from rolling off horizontal panel 103.

While the inventor has described above what he believes to be thepreferred embodiments of the present invention, persons having ordinaryskill in the art will recognize that other and additional changes may bemade in conformance with the spirit of the invention and the inventorintends to claim all such changes as may fall within the scope of theinvention.

1. A holder for displaying a least one item of sports memorabilia,comprising a vertical panel connected to a horizontal panel wherein thehorizontal panel has a first aperture to secure an item of sportsmemorabilia, and wherein the holder may be secured to a wall withinsubstantial mounting means.
 2. The holder of claim 1 wherein thevertical panel further comprises a second aperture through which aninsubstantial mounting means may be inserted to secure the holder to awall.
 3. A holder for displaying a least one item of sports memorabilia,comprising a vertical panel connected to a horizontal panel wherein thehorizontal panel has a concave depression of sufficient size to securean item of sports memorabilia from rolling out of the holder, andwherein the holder may be secured to a wall with insubstantial mountingmeans.
 4. The holder of claim 3 wherein the vertical panel furthercomprises an aperture through which an insubstantial mounting means maybe inserted to secure the holder to a wall.